could you give up ALL sugar for a year?

[walkonby]

Sassy, yes!! ^^ your comment about cutting back by eliminating the processed sugars is the very best way to change things.
In fact THAT is the first place to start chopping from. I feel there is no way eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies will see someone's sugar levels go whacko....unless all they eat is beets, sweet potatoes and bananas. lol

[toban]

I cut out sugar for approximately three and half to four months. I felt better, more energy, loss weight. However I fell off the wagon and not too long ago ate ice cream, cookies etc. I gained a bit of weight, felt sluggish, tired and moody. I also have a low thyroid (on medication for it). So I'm back to cutting it out. Sugar is in many things such as condiments. I found once I cut out sweets I stopped craving them. Once in awhile I may allow myself a small square of chocolate but otherwise eliminating most or all sugar did make a difference. Plus I believe I have a gluten intolerance so cakes, cookies, and any desert with flour I need to eliminate.

[walkonby]

I cut out sugar for approximately three and half to four months. I felt better, more energy, loss weight. However I fell off the wagon and not too long ago ate ice cream, cookies etc. I gained a bit of weight, felt sluggish, tired and moody. I also have a low thyroid (on medication for it). So I'm back to cutting it out. Sugar is in many things such as condiments. I found once I cut out sweets I stopped craving them. Once in awhile I may allow myself a small square of chocolate but otherwise eliminating most or all sugar did make a difference. Plus I believe I have a gluten intolerance so cakes, cookies, and any desert with flour I need to eliminate.

toban you seemed to have experienced the same as me. When i was without sugar ( and gluten ) it was like I was reborn physically! I stopped plodding along like an old lady and had some oomph in my step. I also walked up and down stairs the normal way, not like an arthritic zombie. That is what I have to remember every time I feel like going back to THE DARK SIDE!
I still buy ketchup/bbq sauce etc for my kids but I never eat any period. Best of luck in your journey to eliminate the stuff.

[toban]

I noticed too walking up and down stairs I felt a bit off. I don't have arthritis in my knees or legs. I try to exercise as much as possible. So sugar and/or gluten could be the culprit. I also avoid ketchup and most condiments now. If I have salad I eat it dry or add a bit of pepper.

toban you seemed to have experienced the same as me. When i was without sugar ( and gluten ) it was like I was reborn physically! I stopped plodding along like an old lady and had some oomph in my step. I also walked up and down stairs the normal way, not like an arthritic zombie. That is what I have to remember every time I feel like going back to THE DARK SIDE!
I still buy ketchup/bbq sauce etc for my kids but I never eat any period. Best of luck in your journey to eliminate the stuff.

[walkonby]

An entire month has passed since I last discussed anything in here and I have to say I was correct ( about my own addiction ). The demon sugar has found its way back into my body through eating take out and having more than my share of any treats that were brought home. ( there they were on the table what was I to do?? )
The effects have taken a full month to show up, and weight gain is not the worst of it. The inflammation returned and the joints are starting to stiffen up....so there you have it. I guess I needed another smack upside the head to remind me how much I need to commit to eliminating it again.

[ninna]

oh walks, it's such a struggle and I totally get where you are coming from. Trying to kick the sugar habit is bloody hard. It's next to impossible to buy food without sugar (my god, it's hidden in EVERYTHING!) and even if you can manage to keep clean food in the house....then there's the cravings. For me, the cravings are the demon. I will do fine for a week and then WHAM! I go nuts and it's sugar overload and I binge on sugar like a war is gonna strike and sugar is gonna be rationed or something. It's terrible. What's worse, is that I've read craving sugar can also by symptomatic of hormone imbalances which is equally plausible for me too. My body and brain seem absolutely controlled by this stuff and I'm not sure if the cravings are the result of an addiction to it or symptomatic of hormones out of whack...or BOTH.

Honestly, I keep trying, I do, but I'm so disturbed at how quickly the little bit of sugar I do consume finds it's way to my waist and sits there. Ugh. And it's always 10 times more work to get rid of it that it was to put it there, I swear. Pfft. So frustrating.

[walkonby]

addiction or hormone whackerage? I say it has to be both BOTH! I find it annoying that for someone like me who never partook of any recreational drugs or alcohol I sure have a horrible time with this. Can you imagine what kind of drug addict I might have been today if I had participated back then?? So scary!! Well no point in crying over spilled milk, what's done is done....I shall plan yet another flush today of plenty of water and start again.

[lecale]

.

[ninna]

^ love it. Great rant!

[walkonby]

lecale.....yowza! THAT was some lengthy rant and all valuable info to consider. So.......are we all just screwed then? Is there any hope of any of us to be able to control or reduce/limit putting all the wrong foods and beverages down our gullets? As determined as I am to beat this it sure seems the science of it all has me over a barrel. Thanks for all the input in your post....and shock! at the salt lick thing your DH used to partake of. I felt ill just reading it.

[ninna]

lecale.....yowza! THAT was some lengthy rant and all valuable info to consider. So.......are we all just screwed then? Is there any hope of any of us to be able to control or reduce/limit putting all the wrong foods and beverages down our gullets? As determined as I am to beat this it sure seems the science of it all has me over a barrel. Thanks for all the input in your post....and shock! at the salt lick thing your DH used to partake of. I felt ill just reading it.

lol. I'm a farm girl. I'm pretty sure most farm kids have tried the salt block. We had one of those for our horses and I'm sure I gave it a lick or two myself when I was younger and my parents weren't looking.

[walkonby]

lol. I'm a farm girl. I'm pretty sure most farm kids have tried the salt block. We had one of those for our horses and I'm sure I gave it a lick or two myself when I was younger and my parents weren't looking.

oh ninna!! say it isn't so??! lol. I guess us crazy city kids just don't get the appeal of a salt block.

[SassyAshley]

Yep, must be a farm kid thing as I know exactly what Ninna is talking about.

Which brings me to my downfall, I find I can cut back on sugary foods easier than salty foods at times. To curb that sugar craving a single piece of chocolate or a small peanut butter square and I am good, but lately my cravings for salty are unreal. So If I am not craving one, I am craving the other so which one is better for you (I know neither).

[ninna]

hehe. The salt block? I'm not a person who craves salt and I did it on a dare. Big sister, of course. I did many equally stupid and disgusting things on dares that were egged on by older siblings. Like touching the electric fence, for example, or trying to ride a pig in a pen that hadn't been cleaned yet. Very upset/frightened pig + slippery manure= well, I'm sure you can guess the rest.

As for the sugar battle, for me, it seems to be all or nothing...as in, I'm fine until I have just one tiny bite of it and then it's a case of eating everything sugary in sight that isn't nailed down. I'm better off simply abstaining entirely from the stuff when possible because even the smallest amount triggers a landslide of issues.

[walkonby]

As for the sugar battle, for me, it seems to be all or nothing...as in, I'm fine until I have just one tiny bite of it and then it's a case of eating everything sugary in sight that isn't nailed down.

ok ninna here is a treat for us both!! lol!!!